1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a a game system for displaying an image of an object moving in a virtual three-dimensional space.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a game system which performs three-dimensional processing for a game picture has become common. For example, such as a shooting game, a game with a full of presence can be provided by displaying a three-dimensional situation in which an encountered opponent character is attacked.
In such a game system, a view point position and an observation paint, as standards for a display range, are settled in accordance with the situation as adz display object for a character or a various kind of constitution arranged at a predetermined coordinate position respectively on a game field settled in a virtual three-dimensional space.
Thus, a player can operate the character while watching a picture as if captured by a virtual camera which moves around freely in a three-dimensional game field.
However, for example such as in a shooting game, a character as an operation object generally moves very rapidly. Furthermore, the character changes its position intensely at a battle scene against an opponent character. Therefore, a problem which makes the player uncomfortable occurs, because a display picture in the three-dimensional space turns around rapidly when the player watches a specific observation point while following the movement of the character as an operation object by the above mentioned virtual camera to enhance the reality of the game.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a game system capable of solving the above mentioned problem. The game system is capable for displaying a game picture which makes the player feel presence and does not give the player an uncomfortable feeling when an operation object moving freely on the game field in the three-dimensional space is displayed.
Now, the present invention will be described.
According to the first embodiment of this invention, there is provided a game system arranging an object in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying a visual field image on a game screen viewing the object from a predetermined view point position. In the game system, a plurality of view point positions are arranged in the virtual three-dimensional space, the view point position is selectively switched in accordance with a state of the object, and a visual field image is displayed on a game screen viewing the object from view point positions moving from one position to another when the view point position is switched.
According to another aspect of the first embodiment of this invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium including a program for allowing a computer, included in a game system arranging an object in a virtual game space and displaying a visual field image on a game screen viewing an object from a predetermined view point position, to function so as to switch the view point position selectively in accordance with a state of the object by setting a plurality of view point positions in the virtual three-dimensional space, and to display the visual field image on the game screen viewing the object from view point positions moving from one position to another when the view point position is switched.
According to another aspect of the first embodiment of this invention, there is provided an image displaying method arranging an object in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying a visual field image on a game screen viewing the object from a predetermined view point position. A plurality of view point positions are set or determined in the virtual three-dimensional space, the view point position is selectively switched in accordance with a state of the object, and a visual field image viewing the object from view point positions moving from one position to another is displayed on the screen.
According to these aspects of the first embodiment of the invention, an object in the virtual three-dimensional space is displayed on the game screen and the view point position is switched one after another in accordance with the state change of the object position. The view point position moves smoothly while displaying the object when the position is switched. Accordingly, the player can watch a picture from the most appropriate position in accordance with the game progress. Further, the player does not feel uncomfortable, resulting in a comfortable three-dimensional game with full of presence.
According to the second embodiment of this invention, there is provided a game system displaying an image on the game screen captured by a virtual camera from a predetermined view point position to an object moving in a virtual three-dimensional space in accordance with a player""s operation, wherein the game system comprises a view point position setting device for setting a first view point position from which a predetermined observation point is viewed while following a movement of an operation object, and a second view point position from which the operation object is viewed in a predetermined fixed direction, and a virtual camera setting device for arranging the virtual camera by switching alternatively the first view point position to the second view point position corresponding to a state of the operation object and for moving the virtual camera along a virtual line connecting the first view point position with the second view point position while keeping a state of capturing the operation object when the view point position is switched.
According to another aspect of the second embodiment of this invention, there is provided a computer readable storage medium including a program for allowing a computer constituting a game system, the game system displaying a picture captured by a virtual camera from a predetermined view point position to an object moving in accordance with a player""s operation in a virtual three-dimensional space, to function as, a view point position setting device for setting a first view point position to view a predetermined observation point following a movement of an operation object and a second view point position to fixedly view the operation object in a predetermined direction, and a virtual camera setting device for arranging the virtual camera by switching the first view point position alternatively to the second view point position corresponding to a state of the operation object, and for moving the virtual camera along a virtual line connecting the first view point position to the second view point position while keeping a state of capturing the operation object when the view point position is switched.
According to another aspect of the second embodiment of this invention, there is provided an image displaying method displaying a visual field image viewed from a predetermined view point position by a virtual camera toward an object moving in accordance with a player""s operation in a virtual three-dimensional space, comprising, a view point position setting device for setting a first view point position for viewing a predetermined observation point by following a movement of an operation object, and a second view point position for fixedly viewing the operation object in a predetermined direction, and a virtual camera setting device for arranging the virtual camera by alternatively switching the first view point position to the second view point position in accordance with a state of the operation object, and moving the virtual camera along a line connecting the first view point position with the second view point position while keeping a state of capturing the operation object when the view point position is switched.
According to these aspects of the second embodiment of the invention, if the player operates the object so as to move it in the three-dimensional space during watching the game screen, the virtual camera is shifted between the first and the second view point position as occasion demands in accordance with the state of the position change and the like of the object. At the same time, the view point position is moving smoothly with capturing the object. Accordingly, the player can watch the picture selectively from subjective view point or objective view point based on the object corresponding to the progress of the game. Further, as the player does not feel uncomfortable by rapid change of an image at the view point change, a three-dimensional game which is comfortable and with which the player can catch the state of the game at once can be realized
According to the third embodiment of this invention, there is provided a game system displaying an image on a game screen captured from a predetermined view point position with a virtual camera wherein a first object operated by a player and a second object having a relation with the first object move in a virtual three-dimensional space. The game system includes a view point position setting device for setting a first view point position to view a predetermined observation point following the moving first object and for setting a second view point position viewed based on an observation point settled between both objects when the first object has a relation to the second object, a distance judging device for judging a distance between the first object and the second object, and a virtual camera setting device for arranging the virtual camera by switching the first view point position alternatively to the second view point position corresponding to a judgement result by the distance judging device.
According to another aspect of the third embodiment of this invention, there is provided a computer readable storage medium including a program for allowing a computer constituting a game system, the game system displaying an image on a game screen captured from a predetermined view point position with a virtual camera wherein a first object operated by a player and a second object having a relation with the first object move in a virtual three-dimensional space, to function as, a view point position setting device for setting a first view point position to view a predetermined observation point following the moving first object and for setting a second view point position viewed based on an observation point settled between both characters when the first object has a relation to the second object, a distance judging device for judging a distance between the first object and the second object, and a virtual camera setting device for arranging the virtual camera by switching the first view point position alternatively to the second view point position corresponding to a judgement result by the distance judging device.
According to another aspect of the third embodiment of this invention, there is provided an image displaying method displaying an image on a game screen captured from a predetermined view point position with a virtual camera wherein a first object operated by a player and a second object having a relation with the first object move in a virtual three-dimensional space. A view point position setting device is provided for setting a first view point position to view a predetermined observation point following the moving first object and for setting a second view point position viewed based on a observation point settled between both objects when the first object has a relation to the second object. A distance judging device is provided for judging a distance between the first object and the second object, and a virtual camera setting device is provided for arranging the virtual camera by switching the first view point position alternatively to the second view point position corresponding to a judgement result by the distance judging device.
According to these aspects of the third embodiment of this invention, if the player operates the first object so as to move it in the three-dimensional space during watching the game screen, the virtual camera is located at the subjective view point of the first object at the fist stage of the game. However the view point is switched to the objective view point viewing both characters from a predetermined direction when the second object appears and approaches the position where some relation between them occurs. For example, as a case where the first object has a relation to the second object, in the shooting game, there is a case where the player operates his or her own character as the first object and comes into a battle against the opponent character as the second object. Accordingly, a three-dimensional game is realized in such a manner where the player can feel an empathy with the first object by watching a picture of subjective view point during the movement of the first object, while he or she can gasp the battle situation instantly by watching a picture of objective view point in the shooting game.
According to another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a game system in which the virtual camera setting device moves the virtual camera along a virtual line connecting the first view point position with the second view point position while keeping the state in which the first object and the second object are captured during the view point position is switched.
According to another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a computer readable storage medium recording a game program in which the virtual camera setting device moves said virtual camera along a virtual line connecting said first view point position to said second view point position while keeping a state in which said first object and said second object are captured when the view point position is switched.
According to above two embodiments of this invention, in the case where the view point position of the virtual camera is switched when the first object and the second object have relation with each other for example, the virtual camera moves on the virtual line smoothly and captures and displays the state of the relation between two objects on the game screen during the movement. Therefore, the player can gasp properly the situation of the relation between the first object and the second object for example, even if the view point position changes during the game proceeds, resulting in realizing a suitable three-dimensional displaying especially for the shooting game.
According to another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a game system in which the virtual camera setting device adjusts a moving speed when the virtual camera is moved along the virtual line in accordance with a distance judged by the distance judging device.
According to another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a computer readable storage medium recording a game program in which the virtual camera setting device adjusts a moving speed of the virtual camera when the camera moves along the virtual line in accordance with a distance judged by the distance judging device.
According to above two embodiments of this invention, in the case where the view point position of the virtual camera is switched when the first object and the second object have relation with each other for example, it is properly adjusted whether virtual camera is moved along the virtual line in a high speed or a low speed. Accordingly, the camera is moved quickly if the movement of two object relation is rapid or the camera is moved in low speed if the both object moves slowly. Thus the movement of the view point which accords with a situation and a three-dimensional game with better visibility are realized.
According to another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a game system in which the virtual camera setting device arranges a position of the virtual camera so that the position is switched to the first view point position when a distance judged by the distance judging device is smaller than a predetermined settled value, and the position is switched to the second view point position when the distance is within a predetermined settled value.
According to another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a computer readable storage medium recording a game program, in which the virtual camera setting device arranges the virtual camera at the first view point position when a distance judged by the distance judgement device is larger than a predetermined settled value and at the second view point position when the distance is within a predetermined settled value.
According to these above two embodiments of this invention, the distance between the first object and second object is watched in the virtual three-dimensional space, and the virtual camera is set so as to make a subjective view point image of the first object when both objects keep a distance and to make an objective view point image from a predetermined direction when both objects are in a short distance.
Thus a three-dimensional game with a good visibility is realized and the view point position of the virtual camera is easily switched.
According to another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a game system in which the view point position setting device adjusts a distance between the second view point position and the observation point so that the distance is within a distance judged by the distance judging device.
According to another embodiment of this invention, there is provided a computer readable storage medium recording a game program, in which the view point position setting device adjusts a distance between the second view point position and the observation point so that the first object and the second object are arranged within a capture range.
According to these above two embodiments of this invention, the second view point position where the virtual camera is set is adjusted by moving it backward and forward so that both objects do not go outside of the capture range when the first object and the second object keep a distance away from each other during the battle. Accordingly, in the case of the battle situation of the shooting game, for example, a powerful game picture can be displayed by taking a dynamic picture following the movement of the character.